Being a safe driver is paramount, but it’s also important to know how to keep your car safe with these tips on car theft prevention.
Some cars are classic thief favorites, yet their tastes vary as The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports. The most stolen used cars are of the petite Japanese variety – the 1995 Honda Civic, the 1994 Honda Accord, and the 1991 Toyota Camry.
But for new cars, thieves prefer to go big and American. The Ford F-250 pickup truck models from 2010 through 2012 are the most stolen new vehicles in America according to the Highway Loss Data Institute . For every 1,000 cars purchased, 7 are stolen. That’s nearly a one percent chance of the vehicle being stolen.
Other frequently stolen 4 wheel drives? The Chevy Avalanche 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab and the Cadillac Escalade. And of the smaller new models the Audi A4, Toyota Matrix and Lexus HS 250h are popular picks. Forbe’s attribute’s the popularity of trucks to a rise in construction and therefore more purchase and need for trucks.
There’s no telling what might catch a crook’s eye. Accessibility is certainly a factor in most thefts. Whatever the reason, there are steps you can take to prevent your thieves from making off with your ride.
Use common sense. Lock the car and roll up the windows. Also, don’t park on streets that don’t have houses on the block. Thieves often have favorite spots, like parks and train stations because it’s easier to break in when there aren’t people near by.
Also, try to think like a thief and don’t leave valuables in the car. Even things you might not consider important, like an old backpack or CD case (do those still exist?) can be considered valuable enough to smash a window and grab – they don’t know you just have old gym socks and Aqua CD’s in there. Stash your “valuables” in the trunk, because you sure don’t want a broken window, even if you wouldn’t really miss whatever get’s heisted.
To be able to retrieve your car if it should ever be stolen, install a LoJack when you first purchase your vehicle. It will send radio signals to police, helping them GPS track your vehicle and recover it 90% of the time (that’s the site’s guarantee, not mine).
Good luck!